ABLE SEAMAN THOMAS ROY CLENCIE 1726 RAN.
Tom Clencie was born in Brunswick Victoria in April 1897, the son of William and Evelyn Clencie. He was the second of seven children born to William and Evelyn of whom only Tom and his brother James survived past five years of age. His mother passed away in 1906, his father remarrying the following year to Elizabeth Coleman who produced two children, one of whom also died in infancy.
In June 1912, Tom enlisted in the RAN as a Boy Seaman 2nd Class on HMAS Tingira. He was advanced to Boy 1st Class in June 1913 and posted to the Battle Cruiser HMAS Australia in October 1913 where he would remain until May 1917. He was advanced to Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class in May 1914, to Ordinary Seaman on his 18th Birthday and to Able Seaman in April 1916.
In May 1917, Tom was almost certainly ill and he was posted to the RAN’s London Depot, probably whilst in medical care. He returned to HMAS Australia in October 1917, but was landed again four weeks later to be returned to Australia as being unfit for service. He joined Cerberus in December 1917 and was discharged “Invalided” in April 1918.
On discharge Tom lived with his parents in Port Melbourne eventually obtaining work as a Linesman. In 1928 he married Mary Carney in Victoria and in the late 1930s the couple were living in Ormond Victoria.
Thomas Roy Clencie passed away suddenly on the 18th of November 1940. He is buried in the Roman Catholic Section of Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Compartment A, Section 3, Grave 28.
